JP2005285057A - Medium information read/write device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information read/write device with excellent handleability of a non-contact IC card, and few possibilities that personal information is seen. <P>SOLUTION: In a medium information read/write device equipped with; an antenna 301 formed inside of a casing 1; and a medium information read/write face 150 provided in a casing face 101 close to the antenna 301, a medium information read/write face 150 is formed in a curved surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a medium information reading / writing device, and more particularly to a medium information reading / writing device using a non-contact IC card as a recording medium.

  In recent years, with the development of computerization, services and systems using non-contact IC cards are attracting attention. These services and systems are widespread, for example, to credit settlement systems using electronic money, entrance / exit management systems for companies and buildings, automatic ticket gates at stations, and the like.

  A service or system using a non-contact IC card transmits / receives medium information by holding or placing a non-contact IC card over a medium information reading / writing device, for example, an IC card reader / writer. Processing is to be performed. As a conventional IC card reader / writer that performs such processing, for example, it is composed of a main body having an antenna arranged in a plane and a support that rotatably supports the main body. By holding or placing a non-contact IC card over an IC card reader / writer that transmits and receives data (see Patent Document 1) or an IC card reader / writer that is integrated with a POS terminal. A data processing apparatus that performs credit settlement (see Patent Document 2) is known.

JP 2002-133378 A

JP 2004-5207 A

The IC card reader / writer disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the advantage that the position and angle over which the non-contact IC card is held can be freely changed, and is effective when used while holding the non-contact IC card. However, no consideration is given to handling when a non-contact IC card is placed on the main body.
Further, since the IC card reader / writer disclosed in Patent Document 2 is provided perpendicular to the POS terminal, the IC card reader / writer must be held or placed with the non-contact IC card standing upright. For this reason, when a non-contact IC card is held over or placed, personal information may be seen by surrounding people.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a medium information reading / writing device that has good handling of a recording medium and is less likely to see personal information.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a medium information reading / writing device comprising an antenna provided inside a casing and a medium information reading / writing surface provided on a casing surface close to the antenna. The medium information reading / writing surface is formed of a curved surface.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a housing body having an antenna and a medium information reading / writing surface, and a support portion for supporting the housing body. In a medium information reading / writing device that transmits and receives medium information via an antenna in a state where a recording medium is presented, the housing body includes a curved surface curved along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. A gap is formed between the medium information reading / writing surface and the recording medium in a state where the medium information reading / writing surface is provided and the recording medium is placed on the medium information reading / writing surface.

  Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a housing main body provided with an antenna and a medium information reading / writing surface, and a support portion for supporting the housing main body. In a medium information reading / writing device that transmits and receives medium information via an antenna in a state where a recording medium is presented, the housing body includes a curved surface curved along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. A display unit that displays medium information; and a plurality of guidance units that indicate an operation state and a presentation position of the recording medium, and the plurality of guidance units include a first area that presents the recording medium in a vertically placed state; A second area for presenting the recording medium in a horizontal state is formed, and the medium information reading / writing surface is formed in a portion where the first area and the second area overlap with each other, and is disposed on a curved surface. Place the recording medium on the reading / writing surface. State, to form a gap between the recording medium and the medium information reading writing surface.

  According to the present invention, since the medium information reading / writing surface is formed of a curved surface, a gap can be formed between the recording medium and the medium information reading / writing surface, so that the handling property of the recording medium is good. Can be. Further, since the recording medium can be laid down and posted on the medium information reading / writing surface, it is possible to provide a medium information reading / writing device with little possibility of seeing personal information.

  Embodiments of a medium information reading / writing device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking a non-contact IC card as a recording medium and an IC card reader / writer as a medium information reading / writing device. Here, the same members and parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

(First embodiment)
1 to 10 are diagrams showing a first embodiment of an IC card reader / writer according to the present invention. 1 is an external perspective view of an IC card reader / writer, FIG. 2 is an external view of the IC card reader / writer, FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of the IC card reader / writer, and FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram of the IC card reader / writer. 5 is a diagram showing the installation state of the IC card reader / writer, and FIGS. 6 to 10 are diagrams showing how to hold and place the IC card.
First, the external structure of the IC card reader / writer according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 1 and 2, FIG. 1A is a perspective view seen from the front side, FIG. 1B is a perspective view seen from the rear side, FIG. 2A is a left side view, and FIG. ) Is a front view, FIG. 2 (c) is a right side view, FIG. 2 (d) is a bottom view, FIG. 2 (e) is a plan view, and FIG. 2 (f) is a bottom view.

An IC card reader / writer generally indicated by reference numeral 1 includes a casing main body (hereinafter referred to as a reader / writer main body) 100 and a support portion 200 that supports the reader / writer main body 100. The reader / writer main body 100 and the support portion. A housing 200 is configured by 200.
The reader / writer main body 100 has an external structure that is curved in the front-rear direction X (longitudinal direction) and the left-right direction Y (short direction), and a curved surface is formed on the upper surface 101 of the reader / writer main body 100. A spherical recess 102 is formed as a part of the curved surface on the upper surface 101 of the substrate. A label unit 103, a guidance unit 104, and a display unit 105 are provided on the upper surface 101 of the reader / writer main body 100.

  The guidance unit 104 includes four guidance members 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d arranged so as to surround a part of the recess 102 formed on the upper surface 101 of the reader / writer main body 100, and the four guidance members 104a, A label portion 103 is disposed at the center of the recess 102 surrounded by 104b, 104c, and 104d. The label portion 103 indicates the center position when the IC card is held over or placed on the reader / writer main body 100.

  The four guidance members 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d are formed of a translucent material, and can be used, for example, in a standby state or usable depending on the light emission state of the LED (see FIG. 3) built in the IC card reader / writer 1. The operation status of the IC card reader / writer 1 such as status and error status is indicated. In addition, the four guidance members 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d function as marks for holding or placing a non-contact IC card over the IC card reader / writer 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a first region 130 extending in the front-rear direction X (longitudinal direction) along one side of the four guidance members 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d, and the four guidance members 104a. , 104b, 104c, 104d are provided with a second region 140 extending in the left-right direction Y (short direction) along one side, and medium information is formed in a portion where the first region 130 and the second region 140 overlap each other. A read / write surface 150 is provided. The medium information reading / writing surface 150 is provided on a part of the curved surface (recessed portion 102) of the upper surface 101 of the reader / writer main body 100. Then, by using the first area 130 or the second area 140 as a mark, the medium information reading / writing surface 150 is contacted or placed to read information from the non-contact IC card, or non-contact IC Information can be written (recorded) on the card.

  By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to improve the visibility of the position where the non-contact IC card is held or the position where the non-contact IC card is placed. In particular, when a non-contact IC card is placed in the recess 102, a gap is formed between the upper surface 101 of the IC card reader / writer 1, that is, the medium information reading / writing surface 150 and the non-contact IC card. The handling property of the non-contact IC card can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the non-contact IC card is placed over or placed on the first area 130 or the second area 140, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even if a non-contact IC card is diagonally held over or placed on the IC card reader / writer 1 so as to straddle the first area 130 and the second area 140, a part of the non-contact IC card remains on the medium information reading / writing surface. If it is placed over 150 or placed, medium information can be transmitted / received via the antenna 301, that is, the medium information can be read or written.

The display unit 105 includes a liquid crystal display panel 304 (see FIG. 3), and electronic money or monetary value information recorded on a non-contact IC card held over or placed on the IC card reader / writer 1. The medium information received by the IC card reader / writer 1 is displayed. Here, the monetary value information indicates information that can be handled in the same manner as cash, for example, as represented by points that are added according to the amount of money used.
The support unit 200 incorporates a control unit that controls the entire IC card reader / writer 1, various substrates, and the like, and a leg portion 201 is provided on the bottom surface thereof. Further, a connection terminal 202 for connecting to a communication line, other external devices, or the like is provided on the back surface of the support unit 200.

Next, the internal configuration of the IC card reader / writer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3A is an internal configuration diagram, and FIG. 3B is an internal layout diagram.
3A, the IC card reader / writer 1 includes a main board 300, an antenna 301, a wireless communication board (hereinafter referred to as R / F board) 302, an LED 303, a liquid crystal panel 304, a speaker 305, an IC module 306, and the like. Is provided. Further, communication circuits 340 a and 340 b are connected to the IC module 306.

  The main board 300 includes a control unit 311 that comprehensively controls the operation of the entire IC card reader / writer 1, driver circuits 312a and 312b that operate the IC card reader / writer 1, a power supply circuit 313 that supplies power, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3B, it is arranged inside the support part 200. Here, a connection circuit 350 for connecting to an external device such as a POS terminal or a payment terminal is connected to the driver circuit 312b.

The R / F board 302 has a function of transmitting the medium information read from the non-contact IC card via the antenna 301 to the IC module 306, or transmitting the medium information transmitted from the IC module 306 to the antenna 301. As shown in FIG. 3B, the main board 300 is arranged in parallel with the main board 300 in the vicinity.
The LEDs 303 are provided to indicate the operation state of the IC card reader / writer 1 with light, and the four LEDs correspond to the four guidance members 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d, respectively. It is connected to the. In addition, a speaker 305 and an external connection terminal 202 are connected to the main board 300. Furthermore, a liquid crystal panel 304 constituting the display unit 105 and an IC module 306 for setting a card system that can be used in the IC card reader / writer 1 are connected to the main substrate 300 by appropriate means (not shown). .

  The power supply circuit 313 supplies power for operating the IC card reader / writer 1, and obtains power from an external power supply, for example, the AC adapter 330. Note that the power supply circuit 313 has a charging function, and can supply power for a certain period of time even when not connected to an external power supply.

Next, a system using the IC card reader / writer according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4 based on FIG.
In FIG. 4, the IC card reader / writer 1 is connected to an external device 400 such as a POS terminal or a payment terminal via an external connection terminal 202, and also to a payment server 450 or an application server 460 via a communication line 410 or a router 430. And a second system in which the IC card reader / writer 1 and the application server 460 are connected via the communication line 420 and the router 440.
The first system is mainly used for processing involving payment, for example, when payment processing is performed by a credit card, and the second system is mainly processing for which payment is not performed, for example, entrance / exit management or store Used for processing of point card service, etc.

Next, usage examples of the first system and the second system will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9 based on FIG.
First, as shown in FIG. 5, the first system will be described by taking as an example a settlement system in which a POS terminal 500 and an IC card reader / writer 1 are connected and a credit card 520 having an electronic money function is used. . Here, FIGS. 6 to 8 are diagrams showing how to hold the credit card 520, and FIG. 6 (a) is a state in which a part of the credit card 520 in the horizontal direction (longitudinal direction) is held so as to be pinched with a fingertip. FIG. 6 (b) is a right side view, and FIG. 7 (a) is a front view showing a state where both sides in the lateral direction (longitudinal direction) of the credit card 520 are held with fingertips. FIG. 7B is a right side view, and FIG. 8A is a front view showing a state in which a part of the credit card 520 in the vertical direction (short direction) is held by a fingertip, and FIG. ) Is a right side view. FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams showing how to place the credit card 520. FIG. 9A shows a state in which the horizontal direction (longitudinal direction) of the credit card 520 is placed along the left-right direction Y (hereinafter referred to as the horizontal direction Y). 9B is a diagram showing a state in which the credit card 520 is placed in the longitudinal direction (short direction) along the left-right direction Y (hereinafter referred to as a vertically placed state). is there.

  In FIG. 5, when a user A purchases a product at a store or the like and goes to the cashier counter 510 to settle the price, the store clerk B operates the POS terminal 500 to input the price of the product. The amount information is transmitted to the IC card reader / writer 1 and the amount information is displayed on the display unit 105. The user A holds the credit card 520 in the form as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 in order to settle the price of the merchandise, and uses the first area 130 or the second area 140 as a mark, as an IC card reader / writer. When the credit card 520 is held over the medium information reading / writing surface 150 provided on the upper surface 101 of 1, the medium information, for example, credit card information such as a membership number and the balance of electronic money is read through the antenna 301, The read credit card information is transmitted to the IC module 306 via the R / F board 302. Then, the IC module 306 transmits the received credit card information to the control unit 311 via the drive circuit 312a.

The control unit 311 compares the money amount information transmitted from the POS terminal 500 and the balance information of the electronic money transmitted from the IC module 306, and the balance of the electronic money (balance information) is more than the settlement amount (amount information). In the case where there are many, processing for reducing the settlement amount from the balance is performed, and processing data is transmitted to the IC module 306 via the drive circuit 312a.
The IC module 306 transmits the received processing data to the POS terminal 500, and the POS terminal 500 transmits the received processing data to the payment server 460 via the communication line 420 and the router 430. Check out. When the payment is completed, the settlement server 460 transmits the payment information to the IC module 306 via the communication line 420 or the POS terminal 500. The transmitted settlement information is transmitted to the antenna 301 via the R / F base board 302, and the settlement information, for example, the balance of electronic money after settlement is displayed on the display unit 105, and the electronic money is displayed on the credit card 520. The balance is recorded. When the user A confirms the settlement information displayed on the display unit 105 and removes the credit card 520 from the IC card reader / writer 1, the settlement process ends.

  When the control unit 311 compares the amount information transmitted from the POS terminal 500 and the balance information of the electronic money transmitted from the IC module 306, the balance of the electronic money (the balance information) is calculated from the settlement amount (amount information). If the amount is too small, the display unit 105 displays that the electronic money is insufficient, and informs the user A. In this case, the user A places the credit card 520 on the medium information reading / writing surface 150 provided on the upper surface 101 of the IC card reader / writer 1 in a vertically placed state or a horizontally placed state as shown in FIG. Then, after the electronic money is charged (charged) into the credit card 520, the price of the product is settled. The electronic money is charged by inputting the amount to be charged from the POS terminal 500, and the inputted amount information is transmitted to the application server 460, for example, a financial institution via the communication line 420 or the router 440. The application server (financial institution) 460 that has received the amount information transmits electronic money information to be charged to the credit card 510 via the communication line 420 and the router 440, and the transmitted electronic money information is transmitted by the IC card reader / writer 1. By recording on the credit card 510, the electronic money is charged.

In the above-described embodiment, the charging when the balance of electronic money is insufficient has been described. However, the IC card reader / writer 1 according to this embodiment has the medium information reading / writing surface 150 on the medium information reading / writing surface 150 regardless of the balance of electronic money. By placing the credit card 520 from the beginning, the electronic money can be charged. The method for charging electronic money is the same as that in the above embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
As described above, the IC card reader / writer 1 according to the present embodiment also has a function of charging electronic money in addition to the function as a payment terminal, so that it is convenient to perform payment and charge of electronic money with one terminal. The IC card reader / writer 1 can be made excellent.

  In addition, according to this embodiment, the first area 130 or the second area 140 is used as a mark, and a non-contact IC card (credit card 520) is placed on the medium information reading / writing surface 150, so that the four directions Therefore, the non-contact IC card can be easily grasped, that is, the non-contact IC card can be held well. In addition, since a gap is also formed between the non-contact IC card and the medium information reading / writing surface 150, the deflection when the non-contact IC card 530 placed on the IC card reader / writer 1 is taken is absorbed. be able to. Furthermore, since the reader / writer main body 100 has a curved shape so as to bend toward the front side (user side), the non-contact IC card placed on the IC card reader / writer 1 is slid toward the user side. It becomes possible to take.

  Next, the second system will be described by taking an entrance / exit management system as an example. In FIG. 4, an application server 460, for example, an entrance / exit management server, is connected via a communication line 420 and a router 440, and personal authentication information is recorded on the IC card reader / writer 1 installed near the door. By holding the contact IC card (credit card 520) while being held as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, personal information is transmitted to the IC module 306 via the antenna 301 and the R / F board 302. The IC module 306 transmits the received personal authentication information to the control unit 311 and transmits the authentication result processed by the control unit 311 to the entrance / exit management server. The entrance / exit management server transmits door opening / closing information to the control unit 311 via the communication line 420 and the router 440 based on the received authentication result, and the control unit 311 opens / closes the door based on the received opening / closing information. Is to control.

According to this embodiment, the first area 130 or the second area 140 formed in the curved portion of the upper surface 101 of the card reader / writer main body 100 is used as a mark, and the contactless IC card is placed on the medium information reading / writing surface 150. Since a gap is formed between the upper surface 101 (recessed portion 102) of the reader / writer main body 100 and the non-contact IC card, the non-contact IC card can be held so that the fingertip contacts the gap. The reading or writing accuracy of the non-contact IC card can be improved in a state closer to the conventional IC card reader / writer in which the upper surface of the reader / writer main body is formed flat.
In the second system as well, an entrance / exit management system may be used by placing a non-contact IC card on the medium information reading / writing surface 150.

Next, the gap between the card reader body and the non-contact IC card will be described with reference to FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of a state where a non-contact IC card is placed, FIG. 10B is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view, and FIG. 10C is a state where the non-contact IC card is gripped. It is a perspective view.
The reader / writer main body 100 includes a curved upper surface 101 and a medium information reading / writing surface 150 provided on the upper surface 101. When the non-contact IC card 170 is placed on the medium information reading / writing surface 150, the four corners of the non-contact IC card 170 are held in contact with the upper surface 101, and the non-contact IC card 170 and the medium information reading / writing are held. A gap 160 is formed between the surface 150. With this configuration, the non-contact IC card 170 can be held on the upper surface 101 without being displaced. In addition, since the non-contact IC card 170 covers the medium information reading / writing surface 150, the medium information can be read and written reliably. Further, since the non-contact IC card 170 can be placed or removed via the gap 160, the handleability of the non-contact IC card 170 can be improved.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the IC card reader / writer according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, various functions described in the first embodiment can be executed via a non-contact IC card built in a portable terminal such as a mobile phone or a PDA. The case where this built-in non-contact IC card is used will be described by taking a mobile phone as an example.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a second embodiment of the IC card reader / writer, FIG. 11 (a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the mobile phone is placed on the IC card reader / writer, and FIG. 11 (b) is a view showing the mobile phone. It is a figure which shows the state grasped.
In FIG. 11, a mobile phone 700 includes a non-contact IC card having a credit function, an entrance / exit management function, and the like. Note that the external structure of the mobile phone 700 is almost the same as that of a general folding mobile phone, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted. Further, the configuration of the IC card reader / writer 1 is also the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  By holding or placing the mobile phone 700 on the medium information reading / writing surface 150 provided in the IC card reader / writer 1, as in the first embodiment, shopping and entrance / exit management by credit settlement is performed. Etc., various functions can be executed. In particular, when the mobile phone 700 is placed in the IC card reader / writer 1, the four corners of the mobile phone 700 come into contact with the upper surface 101 of the IC card reader / writer. Since the deviation from the upper surface 101 of the writer 1 can be reduced, various functions can be reliably executed. In addition, in the state where the mobile phone 700 is placed, gaps are formed in four directions, so that the handleability of the mobile phone 700 can be improved.

(Other embodiments)
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the case of use in entrance / exit management and credit payment by electronic money has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the IC card reader / writer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is used in a wide range of fields such as a point card system used in a store, a student ID card used in a school, an electronic ticket used in a concert hall or a movie theater. Can be used.

1 is an external perspective view of an IC card reader / writer according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a six-sided external view of an IC card reader / writer according to the present invention. It is an internal block diagram of the IC card reader / writer according to the present invention. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an IC card reader / writer according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the installation state of IC card reader / writer based on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state which held IC card over the IC card reader / writer based on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state which held IC card over the IC card reader / writer based on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state which held IC card over the IC card reader / writer based on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state which put the IC card in the IC card reader / writer concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state which put the IC card in the IC card reader / writer concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state which put the mobile telephone in the IC card reader / writer based on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... IC card reader / writer, 100 ... Reader / writer main body, 101 ... Upper surface, 102 ... Recessed part, 103 ... Label part, 104 ... Guidance part, 104a ... Guidance member, 104b ... Guidance member, 104c ... Guidance member, 104d ... Guidance member , 105 ... display section, 130 ... first area, 140 ... second area, 150 ... medium information reading / writing surface, 160 ... gap, 170 ... non-contact IC card, 200 ... support section, 201 ... leg section, 202 ... External connection terminal, 300 ... main board, 301 ... antenna, 302 ... wireless communication board, 303 ... LED, 304 ... liquid crystal panel, 305 ... speaker, 306 ... IC module, 311 ... control unit, 312a ... driver circuit, 312b ... driver Circuit 313 ... Power supply circuit 330 ... AC adapter 400 ... External device 410 Communication line 420 ... Communication line 430 ... Router 440 ... Router 440, 450 ... Payment server 460 ... Application server 500 ... POS terminal 510 ... Registration counter 520 ... Credit card 700 ... Mobile phone A ... Use Person, B ... salesclerk, X ... front-back direction, Y ... left-right direction.

Claims (6)

In a medium information reading / writing device including an antenna provided inside a housing and a medium information reading / writing surface provided on a housing surface close to the antenna,
The medium information reading / writing device, wherein the medium information reading / writing surface is formed of a curved surface. A housing main body having an antenna and a medium information reading / writing surface, and a support unit for supporting the housing main body, with a recording medium being presented on the medium information reading / writing surface, through the antenna In a medium information reading / writing device that transmits and receives medium information,
The housing body includes a curved surface curved along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction,
The curved surface includes the medium information reading / writing surface, and a gap is provided between the medium information reading / writing surface and the recording medium in a state where the recording medium is placed on the medium information reading / writing surface. A medium information reading / writing apparatus, characterized in that A housing main body having an antenna and a medium information reading / writing surface, and a support unit for supporting the housing main body, with a recording medium being presented on the medium information reading / writing surface, through the antenna In a medium information reading / writing device that transmits and receives medium information,
The housing body includes a curved surface curved along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction,
The curved surface includes a display unit that displays the medium information, and a plurality of guidance units that indicate an operation state and a presentation position of the recording medium,
The plurality of guidance units form a first region presenting the recording medium in a vertically placed state and a second region presenting the recording medium in a horizontally placed state,
The medium information reading / writing surface is formed in a portion where the first region and the second region overlap each other, and is disposed on the curved surface,
A medium information reading / writing apparatus, wherein a gap is formed between the recording medium and the medium information reading / writing surface in a state where the recording medium is placed on the medium information reading / writing surface. The medium information reading / writing device according to claim 1,
A medium information reading / writing apparatus, wherein a label portion is arranged at the center of the medium information reading / writing surface. The medium information reading / writing device according to claim 3,
The plurality of guidance portions are composed of four guidance members,
The four guidance members are formed of a translucent material, and the medium information reading / writing device is characterized in that The medium information reading / writing device according to claim 1,
The medium information reading / writing device, wherein the recording medium is a non-contact IC card.

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